Western Washington.
You might be on to it.
The Seattle area, of course, is thoroughly polluted with socialists and has been for decades; however, the Bellingham area would be high on my list. If Navy Vet is retired and has the slightest interest in politics he could get involved there in local politics as last stand.
Second recommendation would be the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. Otherwise, he is going to have to gear up to head more easterly, perhaps Kentucky if only for attractive rural real estate opportunities.
You must mean Eastern WA. Western WA is deep blue, high cost of living, miserable traffic and overrun with your entitled betters. Oly peninsula might be better but you have idiot passive aggressive hostile flakes to contend with.
Note that any of the towns out there with “Port” in their name (Angeles, Townsend) is a socialist enclave.
I would suggest Eastern Washington.
Pros: Local Conservative goverments, warmer, drier, cheaper cost of living. Large military retirement area (nearest base is Fairchild AFB) Walla Walla VA hospital, great wine country, lots of golf courses, hunting and fishing areas, close to winter sport activities, summer boating, lower local taxes than the west (wet) side.
Cons: influx of Hispanic population from migrant workers/illegals, winters can be cold, but not much snow, and gray from air inversions, 2-3 hours from large population/shopping areas (Seattle, Portland, Spokane) at the mercy of the west side liberals for state government.
“Western Washington.”
Seattle...theres a plan. How about Spokane.